Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Review

The Lumix DMC-FZ200 ($599) is Panasonic's flagship super-zoom digital camera. While recent models have been relatively minor upgrades, the FZ200 returns to its roots by featuring a lens with an F2.8 maximum aperture across its entire zoom range. The early models in the FZ series (FZ1 - FZ20) had lenses with constant maximum apertures, but that stopped with the FZ30, launched back in 2005. Last year's DMC-FZ150 had an F2.8 - F5.2 lens, so the lens on the FZ200 is a huge improvement, and the extra brightness should make a real difference at long focal lengths and/or in poor light, allowing you to shoot at lower, less noisy ISO settings.

In combination with the newly-developed 12MP MOS sensor, this makes the FZ200, at least on paper, by far the best choice in the superzoom segment for low light shooting. That large aperture allows it to offer faster shutter speeds at the same ISO settings as its peers, or use lower sensitivities at the same shutter speeds as the competition.

While the Leica-badged lens is definitely the number one head-turner on the FZ200's spec-sheet, the remainder reads very well too. As usual you can frame and review your images on either on the rear LCD or the electronic viewfinder. The latter is a new 0.2-inch variant with 1,312,000-dot equivalent resolution. The 'equivalent' part of this statement stems from its 'field-sequential' design - instead of having triplets of dots showing red, green and blue at all positions, it displays one color, then the next, at each position. The downside of this approach can be that if you move your eye quickly, or blink, you become aware of delays between the three colors being drawn - with colorful, rainbow-like edges appearing. Thankfully this display runs at 60hz, so this effect isn't too noticeable.

Compared to the Lumix FZ150:

The differences between the last-generation FZ150 and FZ200 are mostly cosmetic. The grips are slightly different, and the flash doesn't pop-up as far on the FZ200 (hello, redeye). The microphone has been moved closer to the hot shoe on the FZ200, and the power switch as been integrated with the mode dial. This allowed Panasonic to add a new customizable Fn3 button next to the burst mode button. Other improvements compared to the FZ150 include an HDR feature (plus more special effects), in-camera panorama stitching, and high speed movie recording.

From this front view the FZ200 is almost indistinguishable from its predecessor FZ150. The shape of the grip has slightly changed and the rubberized material covers more of the body 'area' and the barrel of the new lens has a marginally larger diameter but you have to look closely to spot the differences.

The same is true is for the camera back. The cameras are very similar in terms of both body shape and button layout. The FZ200's specification highlights such as the 25-600mm F2.8 lens and the high-resolution EVF are hidden under the hood and only become obvious once you turn on the camera and start shooting.

In this view you can see, that the new model is slightly deeper than the FZ150, which is mainly caused by a slightly larger lens barrel. The controls on the top plate gain a customizable Fn-button and the on/off switch has now been intergrated into the mode dial.

The chart below summarizes the differences between the FZ150 and FZ200:

Lumix DMC-FZ150

Lumix DMC-FZ200

Sensor resolution / type

12.1 Megapixel MOS*

Lens focal range (zoom power)

25 - 600 mm (24X)

Lens max aperture range

F2.8 - F5.2

F2.8

LCD size/resolution

3.0" / 460,000 pixel

LCD position

Articulated

EVF size/resolution

0.20" / 201k dots

0.21" / 1.3M dots

ISO range (full res)

100 - 3200

100 - 6400

Shutter speed range

15 - 1/2000 sec

60 - 1/4000 sec

Flash working range (Auto ISO)

0.3 - 9.5 m (W)
1.0 - 5.1 m (T)

0.3 - 13.5 m (W)
1.0 - 13.5 m (T)

HDR mode

No

Yes

"Sweep" panorama

No

Yes

Creative Controls

8

14

Movie resolution

1920 x 1080 @ 60p

High speed movies

No

Yes

Battery used

DMW-BMB9

DMW-BLC12

Battery life (CIPA)

410 shots

540 shots

Dimensions

4.9 x 3.2 x 3.7 in.

4.9 x 3.4 x 4.3 in.

Weight (body only, empty)

484 g

537 g

As you can see, the DMC-FZ200 has some nice improvements over its predecessor, with the new lens and improved battery life being the biggest differences.

What's in the Box?

Despite being one of the most expensive super zooms on the market, the FZ200's bundle is rather pedestrian. Here's what you'll find when you open the box:

Panasonic has built 70MB of memory into the DMC-FZ200. That'll hold four RAW or thirteen JPEGs at the highest quality setting - enough for emergencies, but not daily use. Therefore, you'll want to buy a memory card right away. The FZ200, like all Panasonic cameras, supports SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards, and I'd recommend at least a 4GB card if you're mostly taking stills, and a 16GB card if you'll be taking a lot of Full HD movies. A high speed (Class 6 or faster) card is highly recommended for best camera performance.

Optional accessories

As with the FZ150 that came before it, the DMC-FZ200 has a large selection of accessories available. They include:

Accessory

Model #

Price

Description

Telephoto conversion lens

DMW-LT55

From $174

Boosts the focal range by 1.7x, bringing the
telephoto end of the lens to an amazing 1020 mm; requires conversion
lens adapter.

Close-up lens

DMW-LC55

From $65

Gives you three times the magnification while in macro mode; usable from 4X to 24X; requires conversion lens adapter.

Conversion lens adapter

DMW-LA7

From $40

Threaded for 55mm filters - required for the two conversion
lenses above.

Polarizing filter

DMW-LPL52

From $60

Reduces glare and gives the sky a more vivid appearance. Also helps reduce vignetting.

Neutral density filter

DMW-LND52

From $24

Reduces the amount of light coming through the lens by three stops. This allows you to use wider apertures or slower shutter speeds than normal.

MC protector

DMW-LMC52

From $26

Keeps your fancy F2.8 lens from getting scratched.

External flash

DMW-FL220
DMW-FL360
DMW-FL500

From $143From $236From $439

The first flash (GN 22) is pretty basic. The next two (GN 36 and 50) have high speed x-sync, bounce functionality, and a wider angle-of-view.

Remote shutter release cable

DMW-RSL1

From $53

A shutter release button on a 1.5 meter cable. Handy for tripod shooting.

Stereo microphone

DMW-MS1

$107

An external stereo microphone that attaches via the hot shoe and plugs into the mic input.

AC adapter

DMW-AC8
DMW-DCC8

From
$44From $15

You need both of these accessories to power the FZ200 without draining its battery.

A/V cable

DMW-AVC1

From $14

Lets you connect the camera to an older television.

Soft case

DMW-CZS100

From $40

Holds the camera (without the hood) and a few memory cards.

Camera bag

DMW-CZ18

From $54

A more generic case that holds the camera (with hood) and a few accessories.

Prices were accurate at time of publication

That's an enormous list for a fixed lens camera! One thing's for sure: Panasonic definitely has all its bases covered.

Panasonic includes PhotoFunStudio 8.3 PE software with the Lumix FZ200. This Windows-only software handles basic tasks fairly well, though the whole "wizard" system gets tiring quickly. On the main screen you'll see the usual thumbnail view, and you can view photos by folders, date, or by things as specific as scene mode. The software can learn to recognize faces (much like the camera itself), which offers you another way to browse through your pictures. Available editing features give you the ability to crop, rotate, or change the aspect ratio of your photos, as well as adjusting color, brightness, saturation, and more. You can apply special effects to photos, overlay text, or remove redeye. PhotoFunStudio can also be used to create panoramic images that you've taken on the camera.

Something PhotoFunStudio cannot do is edit RAW images. For that, Panasonic provides SilkyPix Developer Studio 3.1 SE, for both Mac and Windows. SilkyPix isn't going to win any awards for its user interface or poorly translated menus, but it's still a very capable editing tool. If you'd like to use Photoshop instead, just make sure that you're using the latest version of the Camera Raw plug-in.

PhotoFunStudio allows you to work with the movies produced by the FZ200. You can edit your video and then burn the results to a Blu-ray (or DVD) disc. You can also save the edited movie in MPEG-2 format. If you want to use something else to edit your videos, most modern Windows video editing suites can work with the AVCHD files produced by the FZ200. However, some of them may not support the AVCHD Progressive format, so check with your software manufacturer first. Mac users can edit 1080/60p videos without issue using the latest versions of Final Cut Pro X or iMovie '11.

The FZ200's documentation is split up into two parts, which I'm never a fan of. Inside the box is a thin "basic manual" to get you up and running. If you want more details, you'll need to load up the full manual, which is PDF format on an included CD-ROM. The manuals aren't exactly user-friendly, either, though they should answer any question you'll have about the camera. Instructions for using the bundled software is installed onto your Mac or PC.

A version of this review was first published at www.dcresource.com, but is presented here with many changes, notably revised body/handling commentary, the inclusion of a full set of product images, our usual studio comparisons and an expanded samples gallery, plus the addition of a standard dpreview score.

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital
Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help
you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based
on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review
before coming to your own conclusions.

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either pick the section from the drop down or select it from the
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DPReview calibrate their
monitors using Color Vision OptiCal at the (fairly well accepted)
PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make
out the difference between all of the (computer generated) grayscale
blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should
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This article is Copyright 2012 and may NOT in part or in whole be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author.

Comments

Well, I've been using this camera for more than 2 years now and I've to say it still blows my mind. And its a necessity that the user must be familiar with the setting and on how to use the camera properly to get the most out of it. The sharpness is incredible for a P&S, same goes for the dependable AF system. The F2.8 lens is staggering at the long focal lengths and it certainly can create superb BOKEH. I've a YouTube channel, and I've many videos regarding this camera.If anyone is doubtful about this camera and its abilities, please check this link out...its my short selection of photos taken from this camera.

I have used this camera for a number of years and it is still awesome. Great camera for Manual/Aperture/Shutter speed. Good lens, great colours, and the in-built creative filters can give you lots of fun playing around with the photos you have already taken. If you are into taking pictures in auto all the time you may be disappointed as it sometimes ups the ISO in lowlight. Its sensor is only 12mp and it gives decent shots, but if you do heavy cropping you will be disappointed. Not fantastic for low light hand held. Battery light is not so great. But still awesome pictures and awesome colours for those who can handle it.

Hi, We were told this camera can shoot up to 100 minutes via another web site, are you aware of that or is it false advertising.What we were looking for is a camera, that can be shoot video for 100 minutes, and this was advertised. We shoot weddings etc. and that 29 Minutes wont do.

Hi there,Could anyone who owns this camera tell me what the maximum recording times at 120fps and 240fps? My FZ150 goes up to 8mins which is important for me, many new cameras only seem to be able to record at these high frame rates for 30s. Thanks for your help!

Awesome camera! owned it from around 6 months, shot thousands of pics and each day I learn something new with it, is lovely. Have read some comments saying that has not the quality of DSLR...1) Is not a dslr2) the camera lens are very versatile, allowing even to get decent shots in semi low light occasions, telephoto or close ups. I think it might fit the needs of a regular user around 80% - 90% of the times.

Just don't spill lens cleaning liquid over it's lenses coz you might end up having issues.

In my opinion, the bridge segment has been a damn one until the introduction of CMOS sensors.And there were good reasons for that.Many people have felt deceived by the fake appearance of this cameras, DSLR at the exterior but P&S at the heart.

Not too much has changed; after all, is a 1/2.3” sensor inside. Aside optics, a bridge is more or less the same camera as a compact superzoom.Very often, they share the same sensor, the same processor and the same controls.

This cameras define itself only by their optics. If focal range is not crucial, there´s no reason to spend that amount of money when you can achieve the same IQ with almost half the $, or achieve a way better IQ with a big sensor compact for a similar price.

My final word on this camera... I've persisted with it for almost six months and the only reason I'm still using it is because my Nikon has broken down, new D7100 body coming up! Meantime, the Lumix is a great paperweight

You can but not with the HDMI cable. You need the AV out cable and connect it to the Reg, White, Yellow ports at the back of the TV. Then Press the Trash can button for a few seconds and you will see live view on your TV. I have the cable and I have used it. Works fine.

I've had this camera 1 year 6 months and suddenly the Record button when pushed the Burst menu comes up. This happened a few times a month ago, but then Record worked. Now it won't record at all. Every time I push the Record button the Burst menu comes up.

I do shoot a lot of soccer video with this camera and loved it till now. So I press the Record button probably 100 times per 1 hour game. And I shoot a lot of games.

It is surprising how the reviews from actual users differ from the review published by DPreview for this camera. It seems that the more this camera is used, the more disappointing it is. I have bought this camera after having read this DPreview and took it back within 2 weeks of purchase.

As feature-filled as this camera is, I have been having a terrible time with it. I have found it's ISO settings changed to 3200 without my knowledge on a number of occasions resulting in terrible results. It seems that, because of the way the controls are located on the back of the camera, when I grip the camera with my right hand I mash the ISO and white balance settings resulting in disastrous results. Is there a way to lock those controls? I have returned to shooting with my ancient 14mp Kodak/Nikon which has never failed me but weighs a ton and is getting difficult for me to carry around as I age. I have made my living doing photography for many decades and I have never had such embarrassing results with any of the closet full of cameras I have previously used.

I agree, am having exactly the same problem with my FZ200..... I have just ordered a "C" bracket on eBay so I can handle the camera without having to touch the right hand side. I too am a retired news photog and agree about the image quality, I have to Photoshop every image I want to print. The old film days were cumbersome and time wasting, but at least we knew we'd get consistent quality!

I had decided to purchase this camera (I live in India) till I was educated on the importance of the sensor size. The sensor this camera has is much smaller than a APS-C. I loose on quality of image. I really hope the next model has a bigger sensor so I needn't invest in an DSLR & two lenses. My interest is wildlife & landscapes & a little of bird photography.

Bridge cameras offer a compromise to larger SLR cameras. The smaller sensor lacks the low light/ISO performance of the larger SLR but enables a much smaller lens of equivalent focal length to be used. There is a direct mathematical relationship between the format/sensor size and the actual focal length of the lens. There is a similar relationship between the focal length and the maximum aperture. Therefore if you fit a bigger sensor you will need a correspondingly larger camera and lens to support it. Sports and wildlife photographers don,t carry those heavy pieces of kit around to impress, they have to be that size to go with the larger sensor.

i have it, and believe me you don't need to carry any additional gear with you, the 2.1 F gives great details even in the distant objects. shutter speed is great too, i attended this Abu Dhabi F1 GP 2012, and took excellent snaps during the cars top speeds. it is just a fine camera and good enough for people who work and have little spare time to practice their hobbies.

Further to my recent post, I have to say that the more I use this camera, the less I like it. Having taken some stills and video over the weekend, I find that the autofocus is pathetic, especially when you start to zoom out, even at 3x it starts to hunt all over the place for a focal point. This camera is so bad that I am beginning to think I have bought a faulty model. I just photoshopped some of my grand-daughter's images from her $100 Nikon Coolpix and the resolution is far better that this Panasonic thing i.e. the Coolpix images come up at 300 DPI while the Lumix images are only 180 DPI and I find this sub-standard. I am using a Sandisk SDHC class 10 card, so it is nothing to do with card quality. Any other digital camera can be taken from the box and immediately start producing beautiful images, not so with this one as I have yet to make an image or video that I call sharp ...... NOT HAPPY

I totally agree with You, after shooting more than 2000 photos with these B...SH...camera, lot of the raws or jpegs are fuzzy, with chromatic aberrations....not at the level of a FZ35/38 or an LX3 4 exemple. it's not gold award is "led award" , its heavy, and the results in raw or jpeg are not that good, my smartphone does better photos ! so wher's the trick ?

I bought this model camera recently on the strength of the rave reviews I have read on this and other sites & the f2.8 lens, but I am not impressed with it. I bought it as a replacement for my old worn out Canon Powershot S51S, but the Lumix does not come close to the image quality of the Canon. I find the Lumix has much less colour depth and much less highlight detail. Further, the video function shows no recording time on the display like the Canon does, and also I find the controls cumbersome and fiddly to handle, AND it is not good on battery life as the reviews suggest.I do know a bit about cameras as I am a retired press photographer, not a megapixel and zoom spruiker as most self appointed specialists emphasise. I will use this camera mainly for video, but for serious stills I'll stick to my old Nikon D80 thanks !

Looks like a beautiful camera - how robust is it (mist or rain) - would you take it on a boat? Pity it doesn't have built-in GPS - it is such a pleasure to have photos automatically geolocated…but it already has loads of features. I'm sold.

I have had my camera for 6 months and have mixed feelings, mostly good. I have probaby taken over 5,000 shots.The design and workmanship are excellent. On occasions I have accidently hit a button I did not want to hit. In my opinion the camera has too many features.

My biggest complaints are the owners manual and the software. The manual and software are on an enclosed CD disk. The manual is poorly done with some features missing entirely or so vague as to be useless. Hard copies are available for as little as $10 on the internet.

The software is SilkyPix. If you plan on shooting RAW, you should give this program a trial run first. Some may like it, I can't stand it. My solution is a program called Helicon Filter. While the current version will convert RAW for this camera, an older version, Helicon Filter 4.93 is much faster and much easier to use. To get this older version you will need to make a special requestfor an unlisted download.

I have this camera as well, and while it certainly is a phenomenal point-and-shoot and very high quality, I tend to agree with you that it probably has too many features in a point-and-shoot. Is that possible? Well, kinda, yes. The camera is so sophisticated that it almost becomes tricky to use real well. I suppose any complex thing is like this, and I am definitely not a super-expert when it comes to photography. I have had a couple of other digital cameras over the years, and this one is by FAR the best, but I'm not sure if I will ever be perfectly comfortable with all of its features and intricacies.

I also agree that the manual can be quite a puzzle to figure out. It isn't the best on documentation, unfortunately.

Is this an awesome camera? Absolutely! The power zoom is incredible, the optics are super quality, the articulated LCD is SO nice to have, and the price is quite reasonable too. Do be prepared for a cornucopia of features!

Do a search in Youtube for Graham Houghton. He has a superb series of videos explaining how to get the best out of this camera. Just what you need by the sound of it. This is a real enthusiast's bridge camera and many owners, through no fault of their own and despite some effort on their part, are overwhelmed by its potential.

I agree with the positive comments here. Graham Houghton is an excellent reviewer and web-teacher on how to use the camera. I have taken really good pictures out of my FZ200. It may not be a DSLR, but its potential is just amazing. I would prefer to use this in my everyday shooting than a heavy DSLR.

Well, as good as this guy may be, I don't think anyone with any digital photography experience should need to take an on-line course on how to use this camera. If I buy a new state of the art motor car, do I have to take an on-line course on how to drive it? Another retired news photog friend of mine recently purchased a similarly priced and optioned Sony Cybershot (24 meg & 350 dpi) and its results make the Lumix look like a toy. My FZ200 has been ok for landscapes etc but the results are repeatedly poor when it comes to photographing people, kids etc. With stills and video alike, the colour saturation and skin tones are pathetic, redardless of lighting conditions. Some of the flat, lifeless images I have taken could not even be improved in Photoshop! You can talk all day about the bells and whistles, but the bottom line is a nice clean, balanced image and I'm not getting that. I think that Pansonic have exploited the Leica name by putting a good 2.8 lens on a lousy micro-processor.